• Vibrant block colors and street backdrops — perfect for bold, edgy mixtape art
• Confident performance shots with high-motion cuts and rapid transitions
• Strong urban styling and female empowerment themes

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• Explore MixtapePSD for Templates, PNGs & Effects

How to Blend and Color Grade in Photoshop

1. Blending Images

Blending involves combining multiple images to create a cohesive composition.

Step 1: Prepare Your Images

• Open all images in Photoshop.
• Arrange them as layers in a single document.

Step 2: Use Layer Masks

• Select the layer you want to blend.
• Click on the Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.
• Use the Brush Tool (B) with a soft, black brush to paint on the mask, hiding parts of the image and revealing the layer beneath.

Step 3: Adjust Layer Opacity and Blend Modes

• Experiment with Opacity and Fill sliders to adjust transparency.
• Try Blend Modes like Multiply, Screen, or Overlay (found in the Layers panel) to see how layers interact.

Step 4: Match Color and Lighting

• Use the Match Color tool:
  • Go to Image > Adjustments > Match Color.
  • Set the source image to match the colors of your layers.

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2. Color Grading

Color grading adjusts the tone and mood of your image.

Step 1: Add Adjustment Layers

• Use Adjustment Layers for non-destructive edits:
  • Curves: Adjust contrast and brightness.
  • Color Balance: Shift shadows, midtones, and highlights towards specific hues.
  • Hue/Saturation: Enhance or mute specific colors.

Step 2: Use Gradient Maps

• Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map.
• Apply a gradient that matches your desired tone (e.g., teal and orange for cinematic looks).
• Change the Blend Mode of the Gradient Map to Soft Light or Overlay, and adjust the opacity.

Step 3: Add a Look-Up Table (LUT)

• Use LUTs for quick color grading:
  • Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Lookup.
  • Choose a preset LUT or import a custom one.

Step 4: Fine-Tune with Camera Raw Filter

• Select all layers and merge them (Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E / Cmd+Shift+Option+E).
• Go to Filter > Camera Raw Filter.
• Adjust:
  • Temperature and Tint for color balance.
  • Shadows and Highlights for contrast.
  • Split Toning for stylized colors.

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3. Check Your Work

• Zoom out to view the entire composition.
• Use Proof Colors (Ctrl+Y / Cmd+Y) to simulate different devices or color spaces.
• Save your work in both editable format (PSD) and final formats (JPG, PNG).

With these techniques, you can blend images seamlessly and create stunning color-graded visuals in Photoshop. Let me know if you need further help!

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